I don’t know about you, but it always seems that gift giving for the Holidays becomes, I dunno, blah? There is always the sweaters and clothing ^[2] items, a few toys for the kids, a piece of jewelry for the ladies, a tool from TJ Maxx for the guys (here’s a hint, don’t buy tools at a clothing ^[2] store), so I went on a search of some unique ideas for some really great gifts. What I like to give the most is a gift that’s memorable, one that someone will talk about for years to come. Those type of gifts ^[3] are hard to come by but I’ve found four that made the cut:

You can give

• an experience
• a plan
• a meal
• a company

Give an Xperience

No, that’s not a typo, there actually is a company called Xperience Days ^[4]. What they offer is guaranteed to be unique! Yes, there are some pretty pricey options, such as Air Combat Dogfights, Hot Air Balloon rides, helicopter rides over your favorite city, and bi-plane rides, but there’s also cooking classes, dinner cruises, 800 horsepower dragster rides, and trips to a soothing spa. If you’re on a budget ^[5] like me, there are also 10 pages of experience (I mean Xperience) gifts ^[3] available for less than $100.

Whatever you choose to give, if you send them on an Xperience ^[4], they’ll be talking about it for years to come. When’s the last time someone raved about a sweater for 5 years?

For the record, I’m not much for heights, so I’ll take the NASCAR ride at Michigan International Speedway or sailing in Boston Harbor for two!

Give a Plan

I already mentioned how impressed I am with the Mint.com ^[5] system of budgeting. Have you had the chance to check out their video tour? ^[5] Mint.com is the leading online personal spending management system that allows you to easily view and control your finances anytime, anywhere. With online and mobile access, all your spending information is always at your fingertips, but did you ever think, “I could give this as a gift?” Maybe you have a son or daughter that’s struggling with a budget ^[6], maybe your sister or brother needs help getting control of finances and knowing where their income is evaporating. Whoever it is, they can benefit from knowing where their money ^[7] is going and Mint.com can help them get and stay on track.

Give the gift of Food

You can’t go wrong with food … unless it’s something they don’t like! Don’t risk giving those liverworst and pine nut cookies to someone who won’t appreciate them, give them a Restaurant.com ^[8] gift certificate. At this site, you can buy $25 gift certificates for only $10 … sometimes less! There are a few restrictions and minimums depending on the restaurant, but keep in mind you’re buying a dollar for only 40 cents.

Better yet, give the gift that keeps on giving and give your loved ones a Dinner of the Month Club on Restaurant.com. ^[9] You can give a 3, 6 or 12 month plan for savings of 60 percent or more!

Give a Company

OneShare.com ^[10] sells REAL stock certificates; framed, in approximately 100 of America’s favorites companies. Because their company list is pretty extensive, they have a stock for everybody. Some of their best selling stock certificates are: Disney, Dreamworks, Harley-Davidson, Wal-Mart, GM, Tiffany, Microsoft, & Coke.

All too often, our money today is just digital blips on a computer screen, but with OneShare.com ^[10], that stock takes on a whole new meaning because it’s now something you can touch. These make excellent gifts ^[3] for children and grandchildren!

There you have it, four pretty unique gift ideas. And none of them will be returned because the receiver couldn’t wear it, or it was in some crazy metric size that didn’t fit anything!

photo ^[11] credit: MontageMan ^[12]

About the author

Ron has written 1082 articles on The Wisdom Journal.

The founder and editor of The Wisdom Journal ^[13] in 2007, Ron has worked in banking, distribution, retail, and upper management for companies ranging in size from small startups to multi-billion dollar corporations. He graduated Suma Cum Laude from a top MBA program and currently is a partner in a national building materials company.

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